Any Help?

[alison]

I am going away to my parent's for Christmas for just over 2 weeks. I've got a little paddle tail newt. I am not sure if I will be able to find someone to check and feed him... I donno if I should try to take him to my parent's with me (a 18 hour drive) or leave him with food and stuff and keep my fingers crossed.... (I figured put a few guppies in the tank for him to eat... I've given him them before and he seemed to like them)

 

[shaun]

2 weeks is a bit of a stretch, you never know what could go wrong (temperature fluctuations, bacterial explosions, infection etc.) If I were you I'd buy a plastic critter keeper and take him along for the holidays.

 

[kellee]

I worked for a wildland fire crew over the summer. I was on fire assignments in other states for long periods of time that often stretched just over two weeks. My house was unairconditioned (summer). My chinese fire belly did fine, though I'm sure he was pissed and stressed. I fed him blackworms just before I left and had somebody stop by to drop in a few freeze dried bloodworms (which he never eats...so it was pointless). Anyhoo, he's a tough little guy and did just fine for the periods that I was gone. There wasn't a day that went by though that I didn't worry about his well being.

 

[jennifer]

I wouldn't take the newt along. Two weeks is no big deal for a newt. I routinely leave adult newts for two weeks, no problem. Do NOT ask someone to come in and feed it during that time. Unless they know how to clean the tank properly, the uneaten food will foul the tank and be a lot more of a threat than lack of food would be.

I'd say feed the newt well during the days before you leave. Then clean the tank well, turn down the thermostat, and leave without worries. Keeping the house cool will decrease the animal's metabolism, which is good in this case.

 

[alison]

Thanks for your advice.

I don't know if my newt is "adult" or not... he is 4 inches long or so including tail. It isn't skinny... maybe a little plump... I am not quite sure.

I just don't want to some home to a dead newt!

Anyways, I think that I will leave him at home. I don't want to stress him out totally on the drive. If it was a couple hours, maybe. But not that long. Since he liked the guppies last time, I'll probably put a couple in there for him to eat... last time 5 were gone by the end of the weekend! So they won't last long.

Then treats when I get back!